


Everything He Wanted

by Brumeier



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Sentinels and Guides Are Known, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, First Kiss, First Meetings, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-15
Updated: 2016-01-15
Packaged: 2018-05-14 01:00:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5723608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brumeier/pseuds/Brumeier
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Danny was a Guide who thought he could never bond, until he was called in to help a Sentinel in distress. And then everything changed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Everything He Wanted

**Author's Note:**

  * For [popkin16](https://archiveofourown.org/users/popkin16/gifts).
  * Translation into Русский available: [Все, чего он желал](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9501764) by [Luna44](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luna44/pseuds/Luna44)



> For Popkin16 on More Joy Day.

“Absolutely not.”

Danny didn’t even bother looking up at the SINA rep standing officiously in front of his desk. His caseload was unwieldy, his ex-wife was making noises – again! – about changing the custody agreement for their daughter, and his cheap apartment apparently had black mold so he was staying in an even cheaper motel. The last thing he needed was to agree to the favor the Sentinel Institute of North America, Oahu Branch, wanted from him.

“I don’t think you understand the severity of the situation, Guide Williams.”

“It’s _Detective_ Williams, and I don’t think you understand how incredibly busy I am right now.” Danny waved him off, eyes on his computer screen as he scrolled through a database of mug shots.

“We need your help. Please.”

The please got Danny’s attention. He gave the rep another once-over. Linen suit, eyeglasses with black frames, gaudy gold ring on his pinky finger. He seemed earnest enough, and the read Danny was getting off him had a whiff of desperation to it.

“Look, Mr. Nakahara. I’d love to help you out, but I really am busy.”

“Gui…Detective. We have a Sentinel in a zone so deep no-one’s been able to reach him.” Nakahara leaned forward, hands splayed on the desk. “It’s been four days.”

That got Danny’s attention. “You’re telling me you don’t have a single Guide that can pull him out? In four days?”

Damn. The rep was right, the situation was severe. Much longer in a zone and he’d be unreachable; the longest a Sentinel had ever gone under and come back from was a week.

“We’ve called in every unbonded Guide on the Islands, and several from the Mainland. None have been successful.” Nakahara adjusted his glasses. “We’ve done our best to respect your wishes, Detective, but we’re out of options.”

Danny had to admit that SINA had been unusually courteous in respecting his boundaries. They hadn’t been as nice when he was still living in New Jersey. As a Universal Guide, he was uniquely qualified to assist any Sentinel in distress. And just as unlikely to ever bond with a Sentinel of his own.

“Go ahead, brah,” Meka said from the desk beside Danny’s. “I got this.”

“The Carlton case –”

“Will still be cold when you get done. Come on. Go help the _Mea kia’i_.”

Danny sighed. Of course he’d go. Even if the impulse to help a Sentinel in need hadn’t been hardwired into his Guide DNA, he wasn’t the kind of person to stand idly by if he was able to lend assistance.

“I don’t know how long I’ll be,” Danny said as he started setting his desk to rights. “Even if this works, it’s a slow process.”

“If anything pops I’ll call you,” Meka promised.

“Thank you so much, Guide Williams!”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll meet you at the Center.” Danny waited for Nakahara to leave before turning to his partner. “Seriously. I don’t have to go.”

“He needs you,” Meka said with a shrug. “Go do the super-powered Guide thing.”

“And you. No getting shot at till I get back.” Danny slung his bag over his shoulder and headed out. Time to go to work.

*o*o*o*

The SINA branch at Waimanalo was small, nothing at all like the massive flagship Center in San Diego, or even the extensive Center in New York City that Danny was more familiar with. Most Sentinels that came to the Island were visitors; the Alpha Sentinel had passed away more than five years ago and no suitable replacement had been found.

It was one of the reasons Danny had chosen to relocate to Hawaii.

Still, despite the fact that he’d long ago given up on being half of a bonded pair, a frisson of excitement went through him when he sensed the Sentinel. He wasn’t getting much of a reading, not surprising given how long this guy had been under, but it was enough to remind Danny of the hopes he’d had back when he first realized he was a Guide. It seemed like a lifetime ago now.

He sat in the car for a good ten minutes, doing his breathing exercises and reminding himself that this Sentinel wasn’t his.

Mr. Nakahara was waiting for him just inside the lobby. There was a faint, underlying hum from the air purifiers and white noise generators, something most normal people wouldn’t even realize but Danny could feel. His sensitivity as a Guide was one of the things that made him so useful when it came to helping Sentinels in trouble.

“Thank you for coming,” Nakahara said. “Director Matthews would like to meet with you before we bring you to the Sentinel.”

Danny almost argued. There was an itch just under his skin, a familiar feeling even though he hadn’t been called in on a job like this in quite some time. Close proximity to an unbonded Sentinel always made him feel that way, doubly so when the Sentinel in question was in distress. But maybe a few minutes making nice with the director would help get himself under control a bit more.

Director Matthews kept a very Spartan office, even by Sentinel standards. There were no personal touches at all: generic art on the wall that could’ve been found in any mid-range hotel on the Island, teakwood desk polished to a high sheen and completely devoid of even a single loose paperclip, and a shelf full of books organized by size and spine color.

“Guide Williams. Thank you for coming in.” Director Matthews stood up gracefully behind the desk and offered her hand.

“Yeah, well. I wish you didn’t need me, to be honest.”

The Director resumed her seat. Danny had met her only once, during his intake interview when he moved to Oahu, but she was a hard woman to forget. Her features were so delicate that she might’ve been carved from a solid, flawless block of obsidian. The best word Danny could think of to describe her was ‘elegant.’ Like many of the staff employed by the Center, Director Matthews was a Guide, and a high-level one at that. 

“I also wish your visit to us was under better circumstances. I fear there is not much more we can do for Sentinel McGarrett.”

That had Danny leaning forward in his chair. “Wait. McGarrett? Any relation to John McGarrett?”

He still burned at losing that case. It should’ve been his and Meka’s, but someone – probably Kaleo, that bastard – had registered a complaint with the Captain about having a _haole_ investigating the death of one of their own. Danny’s only consolation was that Kaleo didn’t get assigned the case either.

“His son,” Director Matthews said in her calm, quiet voice. “He came home for the funeral service and, against my recommendations, went to his father’s house.”

“He went to the crime scene? Jesus.” Danny shook his head. No wonder the guy had zoned. 

“It was most unfortunate,” the Director agreed. 

“Can I get a look at his file?”

“Certainly. I can have it brought to you, if you would like to see Sentinel McGarrett now.”

“Thanks, that’ll be good.”

“Before you go, I wanted to check in with you. You have been well? No problems?” 

There was no use lying to her, she’d be able to tell. One Guide to another.

“Nothing I can’t handle. Rachel is making noises again about custody, but we both know she can’t do anything about it.”

Director Matthews nodded. “She is still angry.”

Danny shrugged. “I can understand that. I mean, if she’d made _me_ move halfway around the world I wouldn’t be too happy about it either.”

“I can send someone to talk with her,” Director Matthews offered.

“That’ll just piss her off even more. Thanks, but I can handle her.” The last thing he needed was SINA intervening in his personal relationships. They could be heavy-handed at times, particularly where Sentinels were concerned, but just like the local Islanders themselves the staff at Waimanalo were more laid back.

“As you wish.” She tipped her head, and then pressed the intercom button on her phone. “Ishmael, we are ready.”

That summoned Nakahara – _Ishmael? Really?_ – and Danny stood. He thanked the Director again, and then followed Nakahara out of the office. It was time to meet the Sentinel.

*o*o*o*

Sentinel Steve McGarrett was in a private room with a large window that overlooked Waimanalo Bay, a special UV glaze on the glass to keep any direct sunlight from overwhelming sensitive eyes. There was a white noise generator mounted in one corner near the ceiling, the bed sheets were probably the highest thread count known to man, and all of the medical equipment was as Sentinel safe as it could be.

Danny couldn’t take his eyes off the man in the bed. He was ridiculously attractive, despite the slightly sickly pallor of his skin: short-cropped brown hair, strong jaw, what looked like a very trim body beneath the white scrubs he was dressed in.

McGarrett must’ve zoned on sight, because his eyelids were taped closed to keep his eyes from getting dry. He seemed, to Danny at least, a man caught in that space between breaths. Like at any moment, movement would kick back in and McGarrett would pick up right where he left off. Danny had always thought of zones that way. It was his job to get the Sentinel to that next breath, that next word.

“We’re keeping him fed through the NG-tube,” Nakahara said, indicating the slim plastic tubing inserted into McGarrett’s nose and taped to his cheek to keep it in place. “He’s also on a saline drip.”

Danny knew that the Sentinel had to be catheterized, though the bag was hidden from him on the other side of the bed. He was hooked to a heart monitor, the beats a bit too slow for Danny’s liking, and he had a pulse oximeter hooked to one finger. He was being monitored and cared for as well as he could be by the Center, but it was no substitute for a Guide.

There was a light knock on the door, and whoever was out in the hall passed a file to Nakahara, who in turn handed it to Danny.

“If you need anything just push the call button.”

Danny waited until the door closed and he was alone before moving to the side of the bed and putting his hand on McGarrett’s forehead. The urge to touch was strong, and he knew better than to fight it. Touch was one of the senses he’d have to work on if he was going to bring this Sentinel out of such a deep zone.

McGarrett was powerful, Danny could feel it. Maybe even an Alpha. It was too soon to get more of a read on him, so Danny sat in the bedside chair and kept one hand on McGarrett while he paged through the man’s file.

“Navy SEAL. I see you’re really living up to your Sentinel potential, babe.”

Sentinels often went into the military, or law enforcement. It was part of their drive to protect the tribe, a holdover from ancient times. Sentinels could be very territorial, and always ready to fight for what they saw as theirs, be it a plot of land or a family or an entire country.

McGarrett’s jacket held no real surprises. He’d done some work in Intelligence that had gotten noticed by the right people, and his SEAL team held the record for the most missions completed successfully and with a minimal loss of life.

“You’re a real action hero,” Danny said.

Two years ago the solitary Sentinel had bonded with one of his teammates, a Guide named Frederick Hart.

“Shit.” There was a picture of them in the file, dressed in BDUs with their arms slung around each other’s shoulders, smiles bright in dirt-streaked faces. Danny knew even before he read down what happened, because there was no way a Guide would leave his Sentinel in such bad shape.

Hart had died just weeks ago, on a mission that went south. He’d done what a Guide was supposed to do, and protected his Sentinel. The fact that McGarrett had managed to haul his body out of whatever redacted country they’d been in without going feral was a testament to his emotional strength.

“I’m sorry that happened,” Danny murmured, hand stroking up and down McGarrett’s arm. “I’m sorry you lost your Guide.”

He was heartsick for this man he didn’t even know. In fact, McGarrett’s file was peppered with loss, starting with his mother when he was just fifteen years old. His list of living relatives was depressingly small, and none of them were Guides: an aunt in California who was unable to travel due to health concerns, and a sister in rehab in Oregon. A blood-related Guide would’ve had a better chance of pulling him out.

McGarrett didn’t have much reason to come out of his zone, that much was clear. Danny had his work cut out for him.

*o*o*o*

Arrangements were made for Danny to stay at the Center. He’d need to be with McGarrett around the clock if he was going to pull him out. The hardest part was dealing with Rachel, and getting her to keep Grace a few extra days. She took a pretty dim view of Danny’s ‘so-called Sentinel business’ and told him so at length.

A cot was brought into McGarrett’s room and Danny made himself comfortable in his oldest pair of sweatpants and a faded Trenton PD t-shirt. The more relaxed he was, the better attuned he’d be to the Sentinel. It was nothing Danny hadn’t done before, but this time…this time it felt different. There was a low-level hum, just out of Danny’s reach no matter how hard he tried to concentrate on it. It wasn’t from any of the machines, that much he was sure about.

“Okay, Sentinel Steve McGarrett. Time for you to get back to your life, so I can get back to mine.”

Danny started with massage. If McGarrett had zoned on sight, touch would be the best way to bring him out of it. Plus, there was a lot of research that suggested there was an emotional benefit for Sentinels who were regularly touched by their Guides, in addition to grounding them when they used their senses.

“See, this is how things are gonna go. I hope you’re listening.” Danny started with McGarrett’s feet, using firm pressure as he ran his fingers up and down the arch. “You’re going to listen to my very soothing voice, snap out of your zone, and get back to doing whatever crazy SEAL shit you like to do. Okay?”

Ankles next, then shins. McGarrett had very muscular legs.

“I guess I should introduce myself. Detective Daniel Williams, HPD, formerly of New Jersey. Now living in this pineapple-infested hell-hole where, by the way, the weather is disgustingly nice every single day.” Danny scowled. “Sometimes I wonder if it’s worth it, moving all the way out here just to escape all the Sentinels.”

He wasn’t just being dramatic. There were so many more Sentinels on the mainland, and the strain of being around them and having to lend assistance to so many in distress had been extremely taxing, in more ways than one. None of them had wanted him for their permanent Guide. Not a single one. The constant rejection, the repeated stress, had just been too much for him. Hawaii had seemed like a paradise in comparison, but that didn’t mean he missed Jersey any less.

“Just for the record, pineapple is a fruit. And fruit doesn’t belong on the same pie with mozz and sauce. If you feel like arguing that point with me, I’d be more than happy to take you on. But you have to wake up, because it’s not much of a challenge arguing with a vegetable.”

Danny massaged McGarrett’s thighs, keeping properly clear of his groin. It was criminal, really, how hot the guy was. It had been a long time since Danny had looked at another man that way. Yes, a lot of the Sentinels he’d helped had been men, and he’d have given anything to have one of them want him for a platonic bond, but there hadn’t been a physical pull. Not like the one he was experiencing right now.

“You’re a dangerous guy, aren’t you? SEAL, probably an adrenalin junkie, always off in far-flung parts of the world. You’re someone who needs a Guide to watch your back, babe. You might feel like you’ll never have another one, after Frederick, but I’m here to tell you that’s not true. There’s a Guide out there somewhere that’s a perfect fit for you.”

Guides outnumbered Sentinels, but that didn’t mean just any Guide could step in and form a lasting bond with a Sentinel. There had to be a level of compatibility. 

Danny faltered when he got to the arm tattoos. Sentinels rarely marked themselves that way; their skin was incredibly sensitive, and even the specially formulated inks could cause an allergic reaction. Danny wondered what the significance of them was for McGarrett. 

“You have hidden depths, don’t you, Navy man?”

*o*o*o*

After lunch, Danny busted out scent therapy. He pulled out a box of stoppered vials, each one containing the essence of a particular scent. He put three drops from each vial onto small, rolled bits of cotton and waved each one about six inches from McGarrett’s nose.

“We’ll start off with something nice, okay? Here. Give this one a whiff. Pure vanilla. Makes me think of home-baked cookies. My Nonna used to bake all the time. It’s a wonder my brother, my sisters and I weren’t little butterballs as kids.”

Danny gave him plenty of time to absorb that scent before he moved on to a different one.

“Hot pepper. Wow. That’s making even _my_ eyes water. You like spicy food, babe? I bet you do. You must be a risk taker in your line of work, which I can only assume includes putting your gastrointestinal tract in jeopardy. I bet you’re one of those assholes who can eat anything and never gain weight.”

Danny paused in the act of grabbing a different piece of cotton. There’d been a subtle shift in the atmosphere of the room, and he took a minute to track down the source. There was a presence in there with him and McGarrett, unseen but no less real. Danny looked at McGarrett in surprise.

“What’s going on in that head of yours, Sentinel?”

He abandoned the scent therapy and stood back from the bed. Beneath it he could just make out two luminous eyes staring back at him, and wow. Spirit animals very rarely showed themselves outside of bonded pairs. Danny had seen maybe four or five in his lifetime, not counting his own. He wasn’t sure what it meant that McGarrett’s was there in the room with him.

“Hey. It’s okay. You can come out. I’m only trying to help.” Danny squatted down, elbows on his knees, to see if he could coax the animal out from under the bed. “I’m a friend.”

The animal belly-crawled out, ears pressed flat to its head. It was a black panther, all lean muscle and sleek fur. The most ninja-looking of all the big cats. Sentinels almost always had solitary predators as their spirit animals, a reflection of the mostly solitary work they had to do. Guides, on the other hand, had spirit animals that were more pack oriented family types, like Danny’s wolf.

Danny wasn’t sure what the protocol was, but again he had the overwhelming urge to touch. He’d only ever laid hands on his own spirit animal, and then only once, when his marriage to Rachel fell apart and he was such an emotional mess. He didn’t know if it was even possible to touch someone else’s. But he held his hand out anyway, and let the big cat sniff at it.

And then the panther butted his head against Danny’s hand and he could _feel_ it, could run his fingers through that thick fur, and it was amazing. At least until McGarrett started thrashing around on the bed, his confusion and fear battering at Danny in an almost physical way.

“Hey! Settle down!”

The Sentinel was clawing at his face, and it took Danny a second to realize he was trying to get the tape off his eyelids. The heart monitor was going crazy and it didn’t take long for a nurse to come running. Danny didn’t pay her any attention.

“You’re gonna hurt yourself, stop that!” He pushed McGarrett’s hands away from his face and pulled the tape off. “You’re fine, Sentinel. You’re safe. You’re safe.”

McGarrett blinked up at him with stormy gray eyes, and Danny felt something shift inside him.

“Sentinel McGarrett, you’re at the Waimanalo Center.” The nurse gave all the machines a quick once-over. “Can you understand me?”

He nodded, his eyes still locked with Danny’s. He tried to talk, and gagged instead. Danny realized he was holding one of McGarrett’s hands and gave it a squeeze. 

“Feeding tube. It’s okay. You’ve been out of it for a little while, babe.”

McGarrett fumbled at his face with his free hand, finding the place where the tube had been taped to his face. Before Danny realized what he meant to do, McGarrett grabbed it by the tape and simultaneously pulled it off his face and out of his body, choking and gagging as he did so.

“Jesus, you’re a stubborn asshole, aren’t you? Don’t even think of doing that with your catheter, my friend, because I’m not getting your piss on my feet.”

“Sentinel McGarrett, please calm down or I’ll have to sedate you,” the nurse said firmly. 

“Nice and easy, babe,” Danny said in his most soothing voice.

It took McGarrett a couple of tries before he was able to rasp out a word. “ _Kahu_.”

“That’s right. I’m a Guide and I’m here to help you.”

McGarrett nodded, and then in the next breath he fell asleep. A regular, healthy sleep instead of a zone. Mission accomplished.

*o*o*o*

Danny woke from a nap to find Sentinel McGarrett curled up behind him on the cot, which really wasn’t built for two. He had his arm slung over Danny’s hip, his hand fisted in Danny’s t-shirt. McGarrett was asleep, but he was still projecting a messy mass of emotions.

It wasn’t unexpected. The Sentinel had come out of his zone, but he was still a wreck. Danny would spend the night, and maybe the following day, helping McGarrett get back on his feet. Once he was in control, a temporary Guide could be assigned to him. It was rare for a Sentinel to remain unbonded indefinitely; they either found a compatible Guide or they eventually lost control of their senses and had to be hospitalized. Or worse.

Although if anyone could pull off the lone wolf act, Danny thought maybe it was McGarrett. He’d come out of his zone so quickly, and fairly coherent as well. It was impressive.

McGarrett twitched in his sleep, and Danny rubbed his arm until he settled back down. The cuddling was nice, but Danny knew better than to read anything into it. Touch was part and parcel of the Sentinel-Guide relationship, with benefits for both partners. He’d never know what it felt like, being part of a bond, but Danny had been alone for a long time and he could more than appreciate just being held. 

“ _Kahu_ ,” McGarrett murmured against the back of Danny’s neck.

“Sentinel,” Danny replied. “How are your levels?”

“I can taste your sadness.”

“Okay. They’re way too high. How about we dial down a little, okay?” Danny tried to sit up, or at least turn so he could look at McGarrett, but the man was like an octopus. He clutched Danny more tightly to him, throwing his leg over Danny’s for good measure.

“No.”

“No?” Danny fought back a grin. “What are you, five?”

“I’m a solid ten,” McGarrett said. 

For just a moment there was nothing but pure happiness flowing from the Sentinel, more than enough for even the most low-level Guide to discern, and the contrast between that and the morass of painful emotion took Danny’s breath away. 

“I think we need to dial down that ego while we’re at it.”

There was a huff of laughter against Danny’s neck, and then McGarrett’s mood swung back around to grief and confusion and anger. He crowded even closer, as if he were trying to crawl under Danny’s skin.

“Hey. It’s okay, babe. You’ve been through a lot the last few weeks. You need time to process it all.”

“I need to find him.”

“Find who?” Danny asked. He kept his voice low and even, trying to exude as much calm as possible. He managed to extricate his shirt from McGarrett’s tight grip and substituted his hand instead; more skin-to-skin contact would help.

“The man who killed my father.” There was a steely edge to McGarrett’s voice, and Danny could feel his absolute certainty in being able to do just that. 

“HPD is working the case.”

“They’re not good enough.”

“Hey!” Danny protested. “We may not be super Navy ninjas like you, but we know how to work a case.”

“You’re a cop?” McGarrett asked, sounding surprised.

“Detective Danny Williams, in case you missed my earlier introduction.”

“Are you working my dad’s case?”

“No.” Danny tried not to let any bitterness show through, but he obviously wasn’t successful because the next thing he knew he was flat on his back and McGarrett was straddling him, searching his face.

“That makes you angry. Why?”

“We’re not here to talk about me,” Danny said.

“Tell me.”

Danny sighed. “I’m angry because the only reason I’m not working the case is everyone sees me as _haole_. My partner and I have an excellent solve rate, but they only want locals on the case.”

McGarrett’s expression darkened, more anger swirling around him. “No.”

“No? What does that even mean? No what?” Danny was intensely aware of their close proximity, his hands loosely resting on McGarrett’s hips. He pushed the attraction he was feeling way down deep, hopefully deep enough to evade a Sentinel’s keen senses.

“No-one disrespects my _Kahu_ that way.”

“McGarrett. I know you’re still a little muddled, and that’s understandable, but I’m not your Guide. I’m just here to help you get back on your feet again, and then… _mmmph_.”

Danny had never been kissed with such intensity, or thoroughness. McGarrett was unrelenting in his assault of Danny’s mouth, and Danny knew he should put a stop to it. Knew McGarrett still wasn’t in his right mind. But it had been so long, _too_ long, and he couldn’t help responding. Couldn’t help moaning into McGarrett’s mouth and clutching at his hips and _wanting_.

There was no way for that to end well.

*o*o*o*

Danny sat out on the beach, feet buried in the sand, and tried to let the sound of the waves help clear his mind. He hadn’t behaved very well with the amorous Sentinel, and he regretted that. He could’ve handled that more calmly, been firm with McGarrett and explained why kissing Danny was a bad idea. Instead he’d pushed the man away and run out, like some kind of mortified teenage girl. It was embarrassing, and stupid, and he only hoped he hadn’t done more damage to McGarrett as a result.

He felt like an idiot. It was a rookie move, getting so attached in such a short amount of time. It was a hazard of working with touchy-feely Sentinels, though inexperienced Guides were more apt to misconstrue a grounding touch for something more.

Danny’s phone buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out, lips curling up in an automatic grin when he saw it was Grace.

“Hey, monkey! How’s my baby girl?”

_I miss you. How much longer do I have to stay with Mom and Step-Stan?_

“I should be able to pick you up tomorrow, okay? How’d you do on the math test?”

_Pretty good, I think. Mom made me waffles for breakfast, and I’m always smarter after waffles._

“It’s good she made them, then.”

_Is the Sentinel okay? The one you’re helping?_

Danny winced, the ghost of McGarrett’s kiss still on his tongue. “He’s going to be just fine.”

_You’re the best Guide in the world!_

“I don’t know about that. Maybe the best one on Oahu.”

_You’re my favorite._

“You're my favorite too, sweetheart. I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”

_Pick me up as early as you can._

“I’ll do my best. Danno loves you.”

_I love you too!_

Danny ended the call and wondered, as he often did, how he’d gotten so lucky. He knew he was biased, but Grace was the best daughter a guy could have. More importantly, she hadn’t inherited the Guide gene from him, and so hopefully her life would be a lot less complicated.

“Who’s Danno?”

Perfect. His focus was shitty if he hadn’t felt McGarrett in his immediate vicinity. Danny didn’t say anything as the Sentinel settled into the sand beside him, close but not quite touching.

“Hey. Who’s Danno?”

Irritating bastard. “Me. I’m Danno. That’s what my daughter calls me.”

“She sounds nice.”

Danny turned and scowled at McGarrett. “Eavesdropping isn’t very polite, my friend. I’m willing to give you a little leeway, considering you almost died, but don’t push your luck.”

McGarrett looked abashed, and turned his gaze out to the bay. This part of the shoreline belonged to the Center, and so was private, but there were people out in the water surfing and swimming from the adjacent beaches.

“So you’re not married?” he asked, voice hushed.

“You were listening, so you know I’m not.” Danny dug his toes deeper into the sand. “Divorced, going on two years now.”

“Can I ask what happened?”

Danny shrugged. “My job happened. Rachel decided she didn’t like being married to a cop, or to a Guide who often got called away for days at a time.”

It had hurt at the time, just another rejection, but it wasn’t like Danny hadn’t seen it coming. Hell, he’d _felt_ it coming. One of the downsides to being a Guide was that emotional surprises were almost never really surprises at all. He’d known Rachel was unhappy, but he couldn’t leave the job. Either job. He was making a difference, trying to make the world a safer place for his daughter. He didn’t think he should be punished for that.

“Did I do something wrong?” McGarrett asked in that same quiet voice. Danny was starting to find it a little unnerving.

“No, you didn’t. I did, and this is the part of our conversation where I apologize to you for my unprofessional behavior and ill-advised reaction.”

“You liked kissing me. I could tell.” McGarrett was looking at him again, head tipped to the side. He was listening to something Danny would never be able to hear.

“That’s not the point.”

Blair Sandburg had postulated that it was an evolutionary advancement, the way that Sentinels and Guides had very fluid sexualities. It was a way to ensure that Sentinels could have a healthy bond regardless of gender. So McGarrett could question Danny’s motives, but there was no questioning whether or not he _could_ be interested in McGarrett that way. He so totally was, particularly where this Sentinel was concerned. That’s what made it all the more painful.

“I’m a Universal Guide,” Danny tried to explain. “It’s not for me to bond. I’m just here to help Sentinels find their way.”

“And what if that way leads directly to you?” McGarrett leaned in, his expression intense and bearing an almost physical weight. “Can’t you hear it?”

“Hear what?” Danny asked, unable to look away.

“That music. It’s all around you. It sounds…beautiful. Like the most perfect thing I’ve ever heard.” McGarrett leaned in close enough to brush his lips lightly over Danny’s, and Danny’s skin broke out in gooseflesh. “Every part of me wants you. Every way I can get you.”

“You’re still grieving,” Danny said, a little desperately. “You’re not thinking straight. The loss of a Guide –”

“I loved Freddy.” A shimmer of unshed tears filled McGarrett’s eyes. “We had a platonic bond, but he was more than my best friend. He was like my brother. What I’m feeling for you isn’t like that.”

“Be that as it may, you can’t –”

“Do you want me, _Kahu_?”

“I want you to let me finish a damn sentence, that’s what I want.” There was no heat to the words. Danny could hear it too, the same hum he’d heard when he first laid eyes on McGarrett. It was louder now, a complex melody that he didn’t think he’d ever tire of listening to.

“Do. You. Want. Me.”

Danny’s whole body flushed with heat. This shouldn’t have been happening. They’d told him the chances were slim that a Universal Guide would ever be chosen, that being suitable for any Sentinel made him a perfect fit for none. Maybe they were wrong.

“Yes,” he whispered.

McGarrett grinned at him, fierce and triumphant. “I want you too, _Kahu_.”

“ _Mea kia’i_ ,” Danny replied breathlessly.

They surged together, claimed each other with lips and tongue and hands. It was everything Danny wanted and never thought he’d have. And infinitely more.

*o*o*o*

Danny stood in the middle of the empty room, hands on his hips, and surveyed the surroundings. It was more than adequate. In fact, it was downright lavish. Offices, a conference room, an armory…and all on the Governor’s dime.

“What do you think, Danno?” Steve asked. He stepped up behind Danny and wrapped his arms around him, dipping his head to scent Danny’s neck. “Big enough?”

“Maybe too big. How many people did you have in mind for this task force, anyway?”

“I’ve got some ideas,” Steve said coyly. “Do you think Meka would be interested?”

Danny nodded. “Probably. We can make him an offer, at least.”

“I have an offer I’d like to make _you_.” Steve steered Danny in the direction of one of the empty offices. Only it wasn’t entirely empty. There was a long, wide couch against one wall, covered in microfiber fabric that would feel nice and silky on sensitive Sentinel skin.

“You’re an animal,” Danny said in mock disgust. 

He drew the shades and locked the door, and later on he’d remember to buy a throw pillow to hide the stain on the brand new couch.

**Author's Note:**

>  **AN:** Popkin, you always leave me the sweetest fic comments, and just seem to be a genuinely nice person. Thank you so much for your unwavering kindness! You deserve to have what you want most in life, just like Danny. ::grins::

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Everything He Wanted [Podfic]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5870860) by [librarychick_94](https://archiveofourown.org/users/librarychick_94/pseuds/librarychick_94)




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